


Emergent

by orphan_account



Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-03-17 11:52:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3528419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four years after Allegiant, Tobias has finally gotten over Tris's death. He's begun to move on with his life, and become a politician. Then, suddenly, the government picks him up and brings him to the Capitol for help with a special experiment. And then there's more. Tris. Is. Alive. But how?</p><p>Rating may go up, depending on what I decide to do with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. TOBIAS

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago, and decided to post it here. So far the chapters are pretty short, so maybe I'll go back and to them later or something. I don't know.
> 
> Anyway, read and enjoy!

**Disclaimer: The Divergent series belongs to Veronica Roth, not me. Unfortunately.**

* * *

  
  
"Oh. It's you, Matthew," I think about slamming the door in his face, but then decide otherwise. "Why are you here?"   
      I've only seen him twice since she died four years ago. Let's just say that our last meeting wasn't very pretty.  
  
"Tobias, the government requests your presence," he says in his most stately voice, "You're needed in the capitol. Apparently they have a job for you."  
  
"Why? No more guns, remember? I'm a politician, not a solider."  
  
"It's not that kind of job, and you don't really have a choice. The plane leaves in two hours."  
  
I gulp. I'm still afraid of heights, and the thought of flying terrifies me. "Plane?" I ask. I hope he can't tell how nervous I am.  
  
"Come on, suck it up," he says, "You know she would've wanted you to."  
  
That last part is like a blow to the head, but I know he's right. Even after all these years, it still hurts to think about her too much. It's hard to explain. With most memories, I'm fine, but certain things make me want to crawl up in a whole and hide.  
  
"I'll be back in an hour to pick you up." He leaves. I shut the door and go get ready.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tris is awake, if not totally coherent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, then...

**Disclaimer: Once again, the Divergent series belongs to Veronica Roth. As much as I'd like to be, I'm not her.**

  
_One day previous to the events of Chapter 1:_

  
"Matthew, am I dead?"  
  
He laughs. "No, Tris, not anymore, he replies, smiling. "Go back to sleep. You're questions will all be answered soon."  
  
"Okay," I giggle. I don't want to go to sleep, but I AM so tired.... "Matthew, are you SURE I'm not dead?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," he says, and walks out the door.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I actually used to write like this.... ugh.


	3. TOBIAS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobias hates planes, so he thinks about other things instead.

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN DIVERGENT. Hehe.**

 

* * *

  
  
It is official. I HATE air travel. Floating up in the sky, so high that you can't see the ground, it's... terrifying. But I can see why Tris loved it. It must have made her feel like the little bird she was in her heart, yearning to fly away from all of her troubles.  
  
     I try to sleep on the plane, but I can't. Finally, I give up and go to the bathroom. When I get back, Matthew is waiting for me.   
  
     I can't remember why we became so cold towards each other. About one year ago, he came to the city for some big conference thingy. I went to go visit him, to...chat, I guess. I talked about my job and he talked about his. He went on and on about some new project he was working on, something about memory and genes. I stopped paying attention to what he was saying after about twenty minutes of it. That is, not until he started talking about GPs and GDs. That made me angry, but not as much as the next thing that he said.   
  
"I wish Tris was here, so I could test it on her." That did it. Something inside of me just snapped, and I punched him in the face. I apologized, but I regret it to this day.  
  
"I can answer some of your questions now, if you want me to," he says, drawing me back to the present.   
  
"Thanks, Matthew," I say. "So, why do they need ME, exactly?"  
  
"Honestly, I'm not sure about that one," he replies,"Though I think that it might have something to do with their experiment."  
  
"What experiment?" I ask calmly, despite my racing heart. The last time the government did a big experiment, countless people died, and Tris was one of them.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't give you much of an answer to that one either," he laughs. "All I know is that it has something to do with the serums."  
  
"The serums? I thought that they destroyed those," I say trying to stay calm.  
  
"We all did, Tobias," he says grimly.   
  
"I am NOT going to anywhere NEAR those serums, let alone help them with them!" I say. My calm demeanor melts away, and I'm shouting. "I don't care what they have to offer me, I won't do it."

 

 


	4. TRIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris finds out what's going on. Well, sort of. Ish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving on! These chapters are soooooo short. I will definitely probably fix them at some point. Maybe.

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Divergent. Damn.**

 

* * *

 

 

 _Present_  
  
"Matty!!!" I giggle. He doesn't look very happy. I try to lean up to give him a friendly hug, and a sharp pain courses through me.  
  
"Ouch!" I say dizzily, and my tongue feels like lead, despite the lightness of the rest of my body. "Matty, what happened to me?"  
  
"You were shot, Tris," he says, and he sounds tired.   
  
"Oh. Really? Matty, why was I shot?"  
  
"Look, could you stop calling me Matty!?!" He says annoyedly. "You were shot because you were trying to break into a weapons laboratory."  
  
"Why didn't I just ask? I'm sure that if I'd asked nicely, we could have had a nice, civilized discussion about it." I frown. "I don't know why I would even want to break into a weapons laboratory."  
  
"Tris, as much as I would love to sit here and tell you everything, you have a trial to go to."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah! I promise these will get better, just sit tight.


	5. TOBIAS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They land! Yay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Myeh. Just Myeh

**Disclaimer: I'm still not Veronica Roth, and I still don't own Divergent.**

* * *

  
     When we arrive in New Washington, I feel a sense of relief wash over me. We are on the ground again, the good, strong, and most of all solid, ground.  
  
    New Washington is the capital of the United States. It was built after Washington, the old capital, was destroyed during the purity war.  
  
    When we get off the plane, we are surrounded by soldiers carrying large guns. A man in a suite steps into the center of the circle.  
  
"Follow me," he says.  
  
  He leads us to a large room with a huge window and a sea of chairs. Matthew leads me to a seat and then  promptly says, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some important business to attend to," and hurries out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHORT! SHORT! SHORT! SHORT! AHHHHHHHH! WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


	6. TRIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trial?! What trial?! Oh, that one. Right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot-ish. Ish.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent.**

* * *

     When I arrive in the great hall, the first thing that they do is inject me with a cloudy, pale blue liquid. I can feel it running through my veins, grounding me. Suddenly I am aware of everything around me, the huge window, the rows upon rows of chairs, and all of the people. I no longer feel giddy and light headed. I feel like... well, me.   
  
    Matthew insisted that I use a wheel chair, even though I'm pretty sure I would've been fine on my own. But, for once in my life, I didn't feel like arguing.  
  
"Tris, all you need to do is sit where they tell you to and answer the questions they ask you. Let me do most of the talking," Matthew says.  
  
"Fine, but I'm already sitting." I say. He gives me a look. "Just stay quiet," he says. I nod. Not talking doesn't really matter to me right now, because I really have no idea what's going on.  
  
    Everyone takes their seats. I suddenly realize how much pain I'm in. I grit my teeth and try to keep it from showing.   
      
    A man wearing a black robe steps up to podium at the front of the room. In a clear, loud voice he says, "We are assembled here today for the trial of Miss Beatrice Prior of Chicago. Miss Prior, a participant of the former Chicago experiment, who broke into a secure facility approximately four years ago in an attempt to steal a certain memory serum." This part catches me off guard. Four years ago? Surely he made a mistake, and he will clear it up in a second. But he does not, and rather instead keeps going.  
  
"Miss Prior, who was shot and was near death,  was immediately taken to a hospital. Seeing as the technology to save her was not available at the time, she was preserved  using the science  of cryogenics." My head is spinning now. How could I have been frozen and then reawakened? And better yet, why? I thought that I was just a rebel in the government's eyes. Why would they choose to save me? But the man continues.  
  
"The reason for this was her value as a specimen. As far as we know, she is the only fully healed human on the entire planet. Information about her genes could be revolutionary. It could change the world." I feel sick to my stomach. I'd hoped that they would give up on the genes thing, that they would start out fresh. I don't want to be part of this any more than a fish wants to be part of sushi.  
  
"Of course, that does not mean that her crimes can go unpunished. We are here today to decide an appropriate punishment for the crimes of Miss Beatrice Prior."

 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ajhlkgfhajlffhfhjaghjhjfaghjka;fj;adfkgajgafhga;fgja;gka;ghasgas;aj
> 
> ...
> 
> ...I'm so done.


	7. TOBIAS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, reunion...

**Disclaimer: Veronica Roth owns Divergent, not me.**

* * *

     I feel like I'm falling from the top of a thousand story building. I'm disoriented. I don't know what's going on, all I can hear are the words 'she's alive' echoing through my mind. 'No, she can't be. She's dead, I saw her.' I remind myself. But the words don't stop. I feel a surge of emotions rush through my body. Pain and hope, anger and joy. I feel like I'm going to explode.  
  
"Before we start, would Miss Prior please come forward," the man in charge says. I lean forward to try and see, even though my head is saying that it's foolish.   
  
    And then I see it. A blond head, making it's way to the front of the room. At first I didn't see her, because she's in a wheelchair, but I can see her now. And even with her messy hair and bruises, she is beautiful. She still looks sixteen, and I suspect that she always will; to me at least, if to no one else.  
  
    I try to restrain myself from getting up and rushing to her. I still don't believe that it's really her. Tris is dead. She has been for four years. How can this be her now?  
  
"Tris," I whisper. I clench my teeth to keep myself from crying. "Tris."

* * *

     As soon as the trial is over, I race down the hallway after her and Matthew, who is pushing her. The guards try to stop me, and for a moment I feel panicked. I watch Matthew and Tris disappear around a corner, and I panic more. No, I can't loose her again.  
  
"Please," I say, "I need to see her."  
  
"Name," says one of the guards briskly.  
  
"Tobias Johnson, Chicago."   
  
At that, the guard pauses a second, gives me a puzzled look, and then says, "Permission granted. Follow me."  
  
    He leads me down the hallway and around the corner that Matthew and Tris disappeared past just a few minutes before. We walk for about a minute before we come to a door. We stop.   
  
"You can go in now," the guard says.  
  
I open the door, and she is sitting on the bed, talking to Matthew. And then I freeze.

 

 


	8. TRIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they reunite, at long last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! A chapter over 800 words!
> 
> Oh, yeah and they finally reunite, too. Hehe.

**Disclaimer: I am not Veronica Roth, and therefore don't own Divergent.**

* * *

 

Tobias stands in the doorway, unable to move. He stays there, staring at me as if I was a ghost. The room suddenly goes silent.   
  
"Tobias..." I whisper. My words break the spell that has been cast over the room. I barely have time to take a breath before his lips meet mine. He breaks away, and I put my hand on his. Matthew promptly leaves, and I am grateful. We need to be alone right now.  
  
A moment later he wraps his arms around me and whispers, "Tris..." A tear rolls down his cheek, and I wipe it away.  
  
"Tris..." he says quietly, "You're alive."  
  
"I'm alive. Injured, but alive."  
  
"Tris," he says, "I love you. I always have."   
  
"I know," I say.  
  
"Even when I thought that you were dead," he says.  
  
"I know," I say again.  
  
    And then he kisses me again, this one harder than the last. It is a kiss that reaches to the deepest parts of me, thaws the parts of me that are still frozen. I feel free as a bird, soaring through the skies. I love him, and he loves me. I put my hands on his hips to keep me from floating up to the ceiling. It is probably the most intense thing that I have ever felt,  but I am not afraid. My hands do not shake as run my fingers over his tattoos. I know where they are, even without looking. I kiss him with more vigor than I ever have before, and he does the same. The pain in my side and in my head may as well not exist, because I can't feel it. All I can feel is the touch of his lips on mine, and the steadiness of his hands on my hips, keeping me grounded.  
  
When we finally break apart, all I can think of is how I want more. But there are things that I need to say.  
  
"Tobias, do you think they'll let me keep seeing you?" I say. I can tell that in his heart he wants to say yes, but he doesn't want to lie to me.  
  
"I don't know," he says sadly. "You know, if you need to talk about it, I mean, you know, the verdict, I'm here," he says, placing his hand on mine.  
  
"I know, and I will. But not tonight," I say, "I want - no, I need - tonight to be a night to relax and forget all of my troubles."  
  
"Okay," he says, "Just promise me one thing. Get some rest as well. You were severely wounded. You need to heal." He pauses for a moment and then asks, "Can I see?" I nod, and he gingerly removes my shirt. He carefully unwraps the bandages, which need to be changed anyways. He bends over more to get a closer look at the wound to my stomach. Gently, he brushes the area around the wound with the tips of his fingers, and I cringe.   
  
"Sorry," he says, "It's just, by all accounts you should be dead, let alone the other two wounds."  
  
"That's reassuring," I say sarcastically.   
  
"Sorry, Tris. Where are the clean bandages?" He says.  
  
"In the bathroom drawer, the one under the sink," I reply.  
  
He goes and gets them. In a minute he's back with a clean roll of bandages.   
  
"Here we go. Now, tell me if I'm hurting you."  
  
He has just begun to wrap the bandage around me when there is a knock on the door.   
  
"Who is it?" Tobias calls. It's Mathew.   
  
"Come in." I call back.   
  
He steps inside, closing the door behind him.   
  
"I just wanted to -" he stops short when he notices that I'm not wearing a shirt.   
  
"Sorry, maybe I should come back later."  
  
"It's fine," I say, "What's the problem, Matthew? Never seen a girl shirtless before?"   
  
He blushes and says, "Of course I have. I've even changed your own bandages myself a couple of times. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."  
  
"Oh, well then, I suppose you won't mind finishing this for me," says Tobias, who is struggling with my bandages, "It's harder than it looks."  
  
Matthew takes Tobias's place with the bandages, and Tobias sits himself down in a chair next to the bed.  
  
"So, as I began to say earlier, I just wanted to tell Tobias that his room is ready now, so he can go ahead and get settled in. Your bag is already there," Matthew says, finishing up with the bandages.  
  
"Thanks," Tobias says, "But I think I'll be staying here tonight."  
  
"You sure? There's only one bed," Matthew says.  
  
"That's fine," Tobias says, and winks at me so that only I can see.   
  
"If you say so," Matthew says, a little on edge, "I'll call them and tell them to bring down your clothes."   
  
"Don't bother. Won't need them," Tobias says.  
  
"Umm... Okay then, I guess if you two are good, I'd best be going," Matthew says quickly, clearly bewildered, "Oh, and Tobias, be careful, she's still healing." And with that he flies out the door.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie dokie! Whelp, that was fun.


	9. TOBIAS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuff happens. Plot stuff. Kinda.

**Disclaimer: *Sighs.* Still don't own Divergent...**

* * *

 

As soon as Matthew is out the door, I burst out laughing.  
  
"Stop it!" Tris orders, trying to suppress a smile, "Did you have to scare the poor guy like that?"  
  
"It was just a joke. And, come on, did you see the look on his face?" I laugh some more. Then I stand up and sit myself down on bed next to her.  
  
"You're not very nice are you?" She says, a hint of old times glinting in her beautiful blue eyes.  
  
"Neither are you," I say back, before I kiss her.   
  
"So, what have you done in the four years I've been dead?" asks Tris,   
  
"Not much," I say, but it is only half true, "I've become a politician. I started out as an assistant for Johanna Reyes. Since then I've become a city council member."  
  
"Really? You've changed," Tris says, "And you don't have a girlfriend, judging by the way you kissed me earlier."  
  
"Correct," I say, as I give her a kiss on the cheek, "None of them could compare with you."  
  
"Tobias!" she says, smiling.  
  
"No, I'm serious! None of them. Not one."  
  
"Oh, come on," she says, "There must have been at least one girl who was prettier, or smarter, or nicer..."    
  
"Well, now that you mention it, there was this one girl..." I begin, and Tris raises her eyebrows at me, "....who was a dauntless initiate. I was her instructor. We fell in love, but we had to keep our relationship a secret so that people wouldn't think that I was influencing her ranking. Then some of the other initiates tried to kill her, and I saved her life. We fought together in the war. She died four years ago, to save her brother's life." I try not to sound too sad, but I think she can see the pain in my voice.  
  
"How long?" she asks.  
  
"How long what?" I ask, even though I think I know what she's talking about.  
  
"How long did it take you to trust yourself enough to get through a funeral?"  
  
"Two years," I say,   
  
"Tobias," she says quietly, so that it is just a whisper of my name. Beautiful, and soft, and sweet, and gentle, and brimming with love. And then the words, simple and beautiful: "I love you."  
  
"I know," I say, and this time it is her turn to kiss me. But hers is not a desperate, hungry kiss. It is a soft, warm, passionate kiss, that makes my lips tingle and leaves me wanting more. I kiss her back, but she pulls away.  
  
"Not yet," she says, pressing her finger to my lips, "Not yet."  
  
"Oh, come on Tris, just one more kiss," I say, leaning in, "Please?"  
  
"No," Tris says firmly.  
  
"Fine," I say, kissing her on the forehead. The phone rings, and I go to get it.  
  
"Hello?" I say.   
  
"Hi, Tobias. It's Matthew. I'm just calling because I forgot to remind you two that you actually have things to do tomorrow, and that you can't just lounge around in bed all day. Tris has a doctors appointment, and you have a meeting to go to," he says.  
  
I sigh.   
  
"A meeting? A meeting with who?" I ask.   
  
"The people you will be working with," he says, "You know, you have actual work to do. You're not just here to..." Matthew pauses, and I can practically hear his blush, "...well, you know what with Tris."  
  
"I know. Thanks then, if that's all. Bye," I say.  
  
"Tobias, wait. We need to talk. Meet me in your room around 3:00 tomorrow," he says.  
  
"See you then," I say, and hang up. I turn back to Tris, and grin. This is quite possibly the best day of my life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is more to come!


	10. TRIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tobias has grown up some (more), but Tris hasn't really had the chance.

**Disclaimer: Not Veronica Roth, don't own Divergent.**

* * *

 

"What? Who was it?" I ask Tobias, who just got off the phone, and is grinning adorably.   
  
"Nothing. Just Matthew," he replies, still grinning, "He just wanted to remind us that we have things to do tomorrow. You have a doctors appointment and I have a meeting."   
  
"Oh, alright. Is that all?" I ask, slightly confused.   
  
"Ya."  
  
I sigh at his simple, two letter answer.   
  
"Great. I think I'm going to take a shower now," I say.  
  
"Are you sure?" he says, sounding worried, "I mean, your legs are still pretty weak, and what if you slip, or if you somehow get knocked out unconscious and then land face down and drown, or any other bad thing happens."   
  
"l think that I'll be fine. Besides, there's a bench I can sit on, so I won't have to put any weight on my legs anyways," I reply reassuringly.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want me to help you?" he asks.  
  
"In the shower? Tobias, I love you, but I prefer to take my showers alone. I'm only sixteen, for God's sake!"  
  
"Actually, technically you're twenty now-" he says, but I cut him off.  
  
"That's not the point!"   
  
"I know that's not the point! The point is, Tris, I worry. I don't think that I could bear to lose you a second time."  
  
"That doesn't change the fact that I don't want to take a shower with you," I say, a little too sharply.  
  
"Tris, if you're scared, tell me," he says firmly. I tense. I thought that I was over my fear of intimacy, but I guess that I was wrong, because I am scared. Frankly, I'm terrified by the thought that he might want to have sex with me. I fight the urge to cry by biting my lip.  
  
"Tris," he says loudly, "Just tell me. If you're scared of this, just tell me." All at once the tears begin to slide down my face, and I am powerless to stop them.   
  
"Yes," I say, as the tears continue to roll down my cheeks. I try to think of something else to say, but no words come, so I just let out a sob. I hug my knees tight to my chest, and rock back and forth gently on the bed.  
  
"Tris." he says, wrapping his arms around me, "It's when you're ready. It's always when you're ready."  
  
    I let out another sob, and hold tight to him. I am a ship lost at sea, and he is a lighthouse, guiding me back to shore. He is so steady, so strong, so sure. Sometimes I wish that I could be like that, but I know that I am not. I am a bird, built for flight. I need to be free to soar the skies during the day, and I need a warm, safe nest to come home to at night, I need him.  
  
   I feel like I should say something, but I don't know what, so I just sit there, surrounded by his strong arms, and let the tears stream silently down my cheeks. I bury my face in his chest, and we stay like that for a few minutes.  
  
"Tris, I will never try to force you to do something that you don't want to do. It is always your choice," he says firmly.  
  
"Do you remember the night in the Amity compound, when I couldn't sleep?" I ask weakly.   
  
"Yes," he says quietly, "Why?"  
  
"I thought I wanted to then. I thought I was ready. But I couldn't do it, not with what I did to Will still fresh in my mind. It didn't feel right." He looks at me like he understands. I keep going.  
  
"And then again in the hotel room. I was sure, then, that I could do it, that I would do it. And I wanted it, I wanted it so badly. But I forgot that I was still me, still small and pale and flat chested. I couldn't do it." I remember how he looked at me that night, like I was the only thing in the world worth looking at.  
  
"Now I don't know if I'll ever feel ready."  
  
"Tris, I promise you that someday, you will feel ready. And, you never know, that day might come even sooner than you think." I believe him.   
  
"Why don't you go take that shower now," he says, smiling.   
  
And I do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think, should I write more? Well, I'll probably do it anyway but... soon?


	11. TOBIAS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meetings! Fun to write, fun to read!
> 
> Oh, wait, they're not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so to any of you who are actually following this: 
> 
> I'M SO FREAKING SORRY I'M AN AWFUL PERSON I KNOW I FEEL TERRIBLE I JUST HAD A TON OF OTHER LIFE SHIT TO DO AND JUST UGH I'M SO SORRY I REALLY AM.
> 
> So, yeah... Anyway, there's more story now..... I somehow doubt it's good though.... yeah.... I think I'll just let you guys read it now....

**Disclaimer: Sadly, the Divergent series belongs to Veronica Roth, not me. *Sighs.***

* * *

I wake up with my face buried in Tris' hair. It smells like the ocean, clean and crisp and fresh. My arms are wrapped protectively around her, as if to keep the bad dreams away.  
  
It's almost 9:00, but Tris is still asleep, which is good because she's still healing. It is almost painful to have to wake her, but Matthew is coming to pick her up for her appointment at 10:00, and I have to leave for my meeting pretty soon. I grab my bag, which Matthew left outside the door last night. I throw on some jeans and a black T-shirt, an old Dauntless habit.  
  
"Good morning, sleepyhead," I say, my lips almost touching her ear. She smiles.  
  
"Good morning," she says, without opening her eyes. Then she sits up, and I give her a kiss.   
  
"You changed," she observes.  
  
"I did."  
  
"Going somewhere?"  
  
"Meeting," I reply.  
  
"Ah," she says, "That reminds me - what time is Matthew coming by to pick me up?"   
  
"10:00," I say, "I have to go now, or I'll be late," I say.  
  
I give her another kiss and head out the door.  
  
When I get to the meeting room, I find that it is not really a meeting room, but a laboratory. My heart sinks. If they brought us to a lab, then they probably want to show us something. I don't know what that is, but I'm not sure if I want to.  
  
I enter the room, and find a young man, not too much older than I am, working at the table in the middle of the room. At first he doesn't notice me. When he finally looks up at me, he looks startled.   
  
"Sorry, I forgot that you were coming. I'm Marcus." I cringe at the sound of my father's name, but I tell myself to relax. This is not him. The young man extends his hand for me to shake.  
  
"I'm Tobias."  
  
"So I've been told. How are you doing? I assume that by now you've been to see Beatrice?"  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
"Excellent. We're still waiting for one person, so why don't you sit down." He gestures to the chairs that surround the table. I take a seat wait.

A few minutes later, there is a knock on the door. This time, Marcus goes and gets it. They greet each other, and I recognize the visitor's voice. It's Caleb.  

"Please, come in," Marcus says, and I can't help thinking what a good Amity he would have made.   
  
"Tobias," Caleb says, looking surprised.   
  
"Nice to see you too, Caleb," I say sarcastically.   
  
"Here, take a seat," Marcus says, pulling out a chair for Caleb. Caleb thanks him, and sits down. Then Marcus promptly sits down across from us at the other end of the table.  
  
"First, I would like to start by welcoming you to Washington. You are welcome to visit any time you like," he says curtly. He may be young, but he doesn't act like it. He's so proper. Worse than Caleb. I shudder.   
  
"We have brought you two here for a very good reason," he says, and Caleb and I exchange 'Oh, brother' looks. This is going to take a while.   
  
He spends about an hour explaining to us what we will be working on. I try to pay attention, but it's really hard. Eventually I just give up. I hear only pieces of what he's  saying.   
  
I hear, "...developing advanced serums...genetic testing... change the world..." and so forth and so on. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I look over at Caleb, who actually seems interested. _Figures,_ I think, _Once an Erudite, always an Erudite._ As soon as I think this, I scold myself. Come on, Tobias. The factions are gone.   
  
"I understand what you're doing, and it's fascinating, really, but why do you _need_ us, exactly," Caleb says.   
  
"We need you to supervise this experiment. You will be the head of a small team of scientists, all of whom have pledged loyalty. As for you, we do not doubt your loyalty," Marcus replies. Caleb looks skeptical, but doesn't argue.   
  
"What about him," Caleb asks.

What about me? That's a good point. What about _me_?

"Tobias has been summoned here first because his experience working with the old serums used in the Dauntless initiation," Marcus begins, and I'm suddenly even more unsure, "and second, because of his proximity to Beatrice Prior."

Well isn't that just convenient.

"And why should I help you?" I say bitterly, because honestly, _why_ should I?

Marcus looks at me for a second, and then his face softens, and suddenly the weight of my dread makes it hard to do so much as _think_ , let alone breathe, so much that I'm terrified for what he's going to say next.

He opens his mouth, and speaks. "Because if you're not there, then Tris will have to go through all of this _alone_. Is that what you want?"

I finally understand it now, why they chose me.

Because I don't, I really, really don't.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I promise that I'm going to post more of this story soon. And by soon I mean I'm giving myself a month to get shit done. And while that sounds like a long time, I actually only have like seven days this month where I'll have internet. Starting on Tuesday I won't have technology for a whole ten days, too, so.... yeah, I've got a pretty busy summer. On another note, I don't have to deal with school or bitchy exes anymore, so that's a plus!
> 
> Anyway, I guess... reviews are very nice (although I don't really understand how people could actually like my writing...) and they also remind me to update, so they're always welcome and ALWAYS appreciated. Bye for now, and happy 4th of July, America!


	12. TRIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris makes some new discoveries, and meets someone she didn't know she already knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK SO LONG.
> 
> I know I said it would be done a lot sooner than this, but once again I've been really busy with travel and starting school and I just couldn't find the motivation to actually sit down and get this chapter done. But I did, and so here it is. I have a new plan that includes daily writing time so we'll see how this goes. Hopefully there'll be a new chapter soon.

Chapter 12: TRIS

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Divergent, and just by the way, I'M NOT VERONICA ROTH.**

* * *

 

When I wake up, Tobias isn't there. It takes a second to remember where I am and what's going on, and another to remember where Tobias is. _Meeting_ , right.

_Doctor's Appointment,_ right.

_Shit._

I roll out of bed, wincing at the sharp pain in my side. I get up and limp over to the dresser, which contains nothing but one white tee shirt and one pair of plain grey sweatpants.

Mm, comfy.

I get dressed carefully, trying to avoid hurting my side more than absolutely necessary. The sweatpants are a size too big, so I have to roll over the waistband a couple times, but I don't really mind.

Once I'm dressed, I kind of just stand there for a moment, before deciding to go take a seat back down on the bed. There isn't much to do in this small, boring room.

I glance at the clock: 9:45.

What time is that appointment again?

Five minutes later, someone knocks on the door. Must be Matthew. I groan, pushing myself off of the bed and walking over to the door. I pull it open, and sure enough, Matthew's wonderfully uninterested face greets me.

"Morning," he says, not as a greeting, but simply as factual information.

"Morning," I state in reply. "What happened to you?"

He sighs, rubbing his eye. "Paperwork’s a... female dog," he says, completely serious.

I stare at him quizzically, and then burst into laughter, which hurts like hell, but it's too funny to _not_ laugh.

"What the hell, Matt?" I say, between laughs. "Paperwork's a bitch, Matty! You're supposed to say 'Paperwork's a bitch!'"

"I can say it however I want! And stop calling me ‘Matty!’” he says, with the most childish look on his face. Which, of course, only makes me laugh harder.

Matthew sighs. “Tris. Come on, we need to go.”

And that’s when I notice the wheelchair. I sigh, fighting the urge to argue. But my side hurts from all of the laughing and I’m really tired for some reason, and it would probably be better if I just sucked it up and let myself be weak. And so I sit down in the chair, and let Matthew push me through the halls.

Matthew takes us down the hall, a maze of right turns, and left turns, and right-left-right-left’s and eventually I begin to doubt that he actually knows where he’s going, but then we come out of the hallways into a big, open room and my breath catches.

It’s beautiful. The entire room is like a giant glass cube, filled with trees and flowers and vines. It reminds me vaguely of the Amity Compound, but so, so much better. It’s warm and beautiful and the colors are vibrant—it’s really unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I can hear the faint sound of rushing water, and then I look down to see that we’re on a wide glass bridge over a gently bubbling river. It feels like I’ve stepped onto a whole other planet, one much more beautiful than the Earth I’m familiar with. I can see what appear to colourful pieces of flying paper floating in the air. And then one lands on me, and it turns out that they’re alive. The insect is actually a butterfly, but it’s not a normal butterfly. Its wings are huge and covered in an array of oranges and reds and yellows and blues, and I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.

“Pretty cool, eh?” Matthew grins smugly. “They built this place a few years ago. Aparently places like this used to exist naturally in some parts of the world. The idea was for it to seem as natural as possible.”

“Yeah,” I sigh in amazement, “It’s beautiful… I love it.” I look back at him.

He smiles softly, but doesn’t say anything. Eventually we reach the end of the beautiful room, and enter into a high-ceilinged glass hallway.

“Welcome to the Medical Ward. You spent quite a bit of time here, if you recall,” he says.

I sigh. “I don't.” And that’s the end of that conversation.

We enter into a room with a desk. Behind the desk, there’s a pretty redheaded woman seated at a computer. She looks up at us as we enter, and smiles at us.

“Just down the hall,” she says, winking at Matthew.

He grins back, and then takes us down the hall and into a room on the left.

“You can get up now,” he says, “Why don’t you take a seat on that table over there? Your doctor should be here soon. I’m gonna run and grab a coffee and finish up some work, but I’ll be back in time to take you back to your room.” And with that, he’s out the door.

I sigh, and take a seat on the table like he suggested. It’s a bit of a struggle to get up on the table, but I manage it okay.

A few minutes later, someone knocks on the door before entering anyway.

“Hey, Tris,” says a woman in a white lab coat, “You probably don’t remember me—I had you pretty drugged up, sorry ‘bout that—but we’ve known each for a while. I’m Dr. Avery Langley, but please, just call me Avery.”

Dr. Langley is a short, young looking woman. Despite her white-grey hair, she doesn’t look like she could be over thirty-five. Her wavy hair is pulled up into a ponytail on top of her head, and her face has a familiarity that’s comforting. She has a hint of and accent I’ve never heard before, but that’s not surprising. Everyone here seems so different.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Avery. So, are you gonna tell me what’s up?” I ask.

She grins at me, and then says, “Nah. I think we should just skip that part, and move on to the fun stuff, shall we?”

And the expression on her face is just too amusing, with her eyebrows all raised like that, and I break out into laughter. She does too.

After we calm down, she says, “In all seriousness though, let’s just get this little check-up over with, alright?”

I nod, and we begin.

An hour later, my check-up is over and Dr. Langley pushes me out into the lobby where Matthew is waiting, chatting with the pretty redhead at the front desk.

“How’s Tuesday looking for you?” He asks her, and she smiles.

“Tuesday looks great, honey,” she says, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. He blushes.

“I’ll see you then, then. Ya know I love you, right Bre?” He asks, still blushing lightly.

She laughs. “I love you too, Matt. Now, I think you have to be going.” She nods towards me. Matthew turns around noticing me for the first time.

“Ah, Tris!” He quickly kisses the redhead, Bre, on the cheek, before strolling over to me. He nods at Dr. Langley, who smiles at him knowingly and then leaves quietly.

“Alright, let’s get you back to your room now, ‘kay?” He smiles, and back we head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to review :) 
> 
> No, really. Like, feel free. Very free. 
> 
> *Hint hint*


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